The present invention relates to a socket for a wedge-base lamp (a capless lamp) for use in lighting equipment for automotive use or the like.
FIGS. 13 through 15 show a conventional lamp socket of the present type, in which FIG. 13 is a plan view of the lamp socket, FIG. 14 is a vertical sectional view of the main portion of the same, and FIG. 15 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the main portion.
As shown in those drawings, the conventional lamp socket has a structure in which a lamp insertion channel 4 substantially I-shaped in the plan view is formed in a substantially cylindrical lamp socket body 2, and terminals 7 each having a pair of opposed contacting and sandwiching members 6 are provided parallel to each other in the lamp insertion channel 4. A base portion 9 of a wedge-base lamp 8 inserted into the lamp insertion channel 4 is clamped by the pairs of opposed contacting and sandwiching members 6 and electrical contact is obtained between each terminal 7 and the base portion 9.
In the prior construction described above, top end portions 6a of the opposed contacting and sandwiching members 6 are vertically higher than upper end portions 3a of the opposed vertical walls 3 forming the lamp insertion channel 4. There has therefore been a problem in the following point: That is, when a wedge-base lamp 8 is inserted into the socket, if the lamp 8 is slantingly inserted as shown by arrow A14 in FIG. 4, or if the lamp 8 is inserted in a state offset from the axial center as shown by arrow A2, the base portion 9 of the lamp interferes with the top end portions 6a to thereby wrench and deform these portions, such that the lamp 8 cannot be smoothly inserted into the socket.